USS Monitor Legacy Program: Rear Admiral Thomas O. Selfridge, Jr.

Presenter:

John V. Quarstein
Director emeritus of the USS Monitor Center

About the lecture:

Thomas O. Selfridge, Jr. was the only naval officer during the Civil War to serve on three ships beginning with a ‘c’: Cumberland, Cairo, and Conestoga. All of these ships sank while Selfridge was aboard. While detailed to Cumberland, Selfridge helped the abandonment of Gosport Navy Yard, captured several blockade runners, and was aboard the sloop of war when it became the first wooden warship sunk by an ironclad. The lieutenant briefly served as commander of Monitor and then was detailed to command the City-class ironclad Cairo, the first warship sunk by Confederate torpedoes during the war. His next ship, the timberclad Conestoga, sank following a collision with General Price. During the Red River Campaign, Selfridge commanded the ironclad Osage and then commanded Huron during the capture of Ft. Fisher, Wilmington, NC. During the postwar era Selfridge continued to serve the nation at sea, including commanding the European Squadron. He was promoted to rear-admiral in 1896 and retired soon afterwards.

Advance registration is required whether you attend the lecture in person or online. Register on our website: https://www.marinersmuseum.org/event/rear-admiral-thomas-o-selfridge-jr/

Image credit: Photograph of Rear Admiral Thomas O. Selfridge, Jr. Courtesy National Archives.